Receptacle and bucket support



Nov. 30, 1965 H. B. HANNON 3,220,682

REGEPTACLE AND BUCKET SUPPORT Filed May 25, 1964 INVENTOR HARRY B. HANNON United States Patent 3,220,682 RECEPTACLE AND BUCKET SUPIORT Harry B. Harmon, 4117 N. Richards, Milwaukee, Wis. Filed May 25, 1964, Ser. No. 369,732 3 Claims. (Cl. 248-211) This invention appertains to supporting devices and, more particularly, to a new and useful improvement in a device for supporting pails, buckets, paint pots, or the like from ladders and particularly step ladders.

There have been many devices provided which are attached to ladders to position or maintain paint buckets in a horizontal position in relation to the ladders. However, to my knowledge, there is no device which can be readily and easily attached to the top surface of a step ladder and just as readily and easily attached at any position along the side rails of the ladder to support the paint buckets in a horizontal position.

The primary object of my present invention is to provide an improved bucket support for holding pails, buckets or pots in a horizontal position to prevent spilling of the contents and which can be readily and quickly attached and detached from the top step or support of the ladder and which can be readily attached or detached at any position on the steps of the ladder.

Another object of my present invention is to provide a bucket support which when attached either to the top step or any of the other steps of the ladder will support a paint pail, bucket or pot in such a manner as to preclude the possibility of accidental falling of the supporting device or the pail supported thereby.

An important object of my present invention resides in providing a receptacle and bucket support which can be readily engaged and positioned on a step or rung of the ladder with one hand whereby the other hand may be employed for the purpose of supporting and balancing the user.

A more specific object of my present invention is to provide a novel bucket support formed primarily of a single length of stiff wire in which the top bracket arm is provided with means to engage the top larger surface or step of a step ladder and also has additional means to engage the inner side rails when the bracket arm is positioned on an intermediate step which is usually of less width than the top surface or step.

A still further object of my present invention is to provide a new and improved receptacle and bucket support which is simple in construction, reliable in its operation and not liable to get out of order.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel construction, arrangement and formation of parts as will hereinafter be more specifically described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which drawing,

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing my device attached to the top larger step of a step ladder in proper position and supporting a paint bucket or pail;

FIGURE 2 is a somewhat enlarged fragmentary view of one of the intermediate steps and part of the side rail of a ladder showing my device in proper position for supporting a pail or bucket on one of the intermediate steps, and

FIGURE 3 is a further enlarged perspective view of my novel device shown removed from the ladder.

Referring now to the drawing in detail wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter S generally indicates my improved receptacle and bucket support. Attention is directed more particularly to FIGURE 3 of the drawing and it can be seen that the support S is primarily formed from a single length of stiff wire bent to include an inclined upright arm'10 which terminates in a horizontally extending bracket arm 11. The bracket arm 11 has a downwardly extending hook 12 formed on its outer end and the hook 12 lies in the same substantial vertical plane as the inclined arm 10. The lower end of the inclined upright arm 10 is provided with a horizontally formed loop 13 which is of a size and configuration to go around the rail of a ladder. This loop 13 therefore includes a short horizontal stretch 14, an intermediate curved portion 15 and an inwardly extending horizontal stretch 16 which is parallel to the stretch 14. Extending laterally and outwardly from the stretch 16' of the loop 13 is the horizontal supporting arm 17. The outer termination of the supporting arm 17 carries a depending book 18 for the paint bucket. Intermediate the upper bracket arm 11 is secured an inwardly directed hook member 19 which includes a stretch 20 lying substantially parallel to a respective portion of the bracket arm 11 and together with the arm 11 forms an inner loop member 21, the purpose of which will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Attention is now directed to FIGURES 1 and 2 of the drawing which illustrate respectively, the two main positions of my support. In FIGURE 1, for example, I have shown my novel device secured to the top larger rail 22 of a step ladder L. The ladder L may be of any standard step ladder construction but for the purpose of illustration, the same includes the upper side rails 23 and 24 respectively, the intermediate steps 25 and the previously mentioned larger top step or surface 22. This particular ladder is of the foldable type and pivoted brackets 26 are provided for that purpose. When it is desired, therefore, to support a paint bucket or the like B in a horizontal position in relation to the step ladder and from the top step thereof, it will be noted that the bracket arm 11 extends over the top step 22 and the hook 12 engages around the inner surface 27 of the step 22. The arm 10 inclines downwardly and backwardly as shown and the angle portion 28 thereof engages the inner surface 29 of the step. It should be noted that the inclined arm 10 rests against the inner surface 30 of the side rails 23 and the loop 13 extends around the rail as shown. With the loop 13 engaging the side rail and inasmuch as the laterally extending horizontal arm 17 extends at right angles to the stretch 16 of the loop, the paint bucket B may be placed on the hook 18 and supported as illustrated.

It is also obvious that my novel device can be readily secured to the top step 22 by utilizing one hand as it is only necessary to engage the hook 12 and allow the device to drop into position with the loop 13 engaging the side rail 30.

It can thus be seen that the device is readily supported against rocking motion by the loop 13 and the hook 12 and that the stretches 14 and 16 of the loop 13 prevent any lateral rocking of the device and, incidentally, the hook 19 also aids in this position to prevent lateral displacement or rocking of the device since it lies parallel to the top surface of the step 22.

However, the main purpose for the hook member 19 is to aid in supporting the device on an intermediate step 25 of the ladder L as shown more particularly in FIG- URE 2 of the drawing and in this position it should be noted that the hook 19 forming the loop 21 engages around the inner portion 31 of the side rail 23. The bracket arm 11 rests on the upper surface 32 of the intermediate step 25 and a portion thereof, including the hook 12, extends beyond the step 25. This is due to the fact that the intermediate steps 25 are invariably of less width than the top steps 22 of standard type step ladders. The inclined arm 10, loop 13, laterally extending support- 3 ing arm 17 and hook 18 function in exactly the same manner as previously described.

It should also be noted that the arm inclines inwardly and backwardly so that it will engage readily the inner surface 30 of the rail 23 by bending the wire so that the inner angle 33 is less than 90 degrees and the horizontally and laterally extending arm 17 supports the paint bucket B in its proper position by bending the wire to provide a right angle 34.

Thus it can be seen that I have provided a novel and practical device for supporting paint buckets and the like in a horizontal position in relation, more particularly, to a step ladder wherein the same can be quickly and easily attached to the Wider larger top step of the ladder and in any position in relation to an intermediate step. It should also be brought out that the intermediate steps 25 need not be of the same width as the rails 23 and 24 and can be much less width or may even be rungs and my support will function in the manner described in relation to. FIGURE 2 of the drawing.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or the scope of this invention but what I claim as new is:

1. A receptacle and bucket support for supporting a receptacle from the top step and intermediate steps of a step ladder alongside of the outer surface of a side rail thereof, comprising a length of material bent to provide an inclined vertically extending arm, a horizontal bracket arm on the upper end of said inclined arm of a size and configuration to fit' over the top larger step of a ladder,

a depending hook on the outer end of said horizontal bracket, a loop at thelower end of said inclined arm of a size and configuration to extend around a side rail of the ladder, a laterally extending horizontal support arm on said loop terminating in a hook for supporting receptacles and buckets and the like, and means mounted on the bracket arm for cooperating with said loop for engaging the inner surface of a ladder side rail when said device is associated with an intermediate step of a ladder.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means engaging the inner surface of said ladder rail includes a bent piece secured intermediate the bracket arm forming with said arm an open opposed loop engaging the side rail opposite from saidrfirst mentioned loop when said bracket arm is restingon an intermediate ladder step.

3. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the angle between the inclined arm and said bracket arm is less than degrees and wherein the angle between said laterally extending support arm and said loop is approximately a right angle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 982,604 1/1911 Herring 248-211 1,797,381 3/1931 Trimble 248-2ll 2,873,937 2/ 1959 Oldenburg 248211 CLAUDE A. LE ROY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A RECEPTACLE AND BUCKET SUPPORT FOR SUPPORTING A RECEPTACLE FROM THE TOP STEP AND INTERMEDIATE STEPS OF A STEP LADDER ALONGSIDE OF THE OUTER SURFACE OF A SIDE RAIL THEREOF, COMPRISING A LENGTH OF MATERIAL BENT TO PROVIDE AN INCLINED VERTICALLY EXTENDING ARM, A HORIZONTAL BRACKET ARM ON THE UPPER END OF SAID INCLINED ARM OF A SIZE AND CONFIGURATION TO FIT OVER THE TOP LARGER STEP OF A LADDER, A DEPENDING HOOK ON THE OUTER END OF SAID HORIZONTAL BRACKET, A LOOP AT THE LOWER END OF SAID INCLINED ARM OF A SIZE AND CONFIGURATION TO EXTEND AROUND A SIDE RAIL OF THE LADDER, A LATERALLY EXTENDING HORIZONTAL SUPPORT ARM ON SAID LOOP TERMINATING IN A HOOK FOR SUPPORTING RECEPTACLES ANNND BUCKETS AND THE LIKE, AND MEANS MOUNTED ON THE BRACKET ARM FOR COOPERATING WITH SAID LOOP FOR ENGAGING THE INNER SURFACCE OF A LADDER SIDE RAIL WHEN SAID DEVICE IS ASSOCIATED WITH AN INTERMEDIATE STEP OF A LADDER. 